Our Grandparents generation was the one most affected by
the First World War, whether they served or kept essential services going or
waited behind for loved ones. We have listed below the family members we have
found who served in the military during the war, but all would have been
affected in many different ways.
Crowther
Joseph Crowther (1890-1969) Service number Z/201
 |
| Grandad in the centre |
Grandad served with the Royal Naval Reserve. He enlisted in RNVR Tyneside
division 4th company in March 1909 when he was 18 years old. He was a painter by
trade and he underwent a painters training course in 1911 on board HMS
Vanguard. His service ended in February 1914 and in July that year he married
Grandma, Margaret Slaughter, in Jarrow.
Eight days later World War One began.
Grandad re-enlisted in the Navy in October 1914. He sailed in HMS Victory
in October 1914 but spent most of his time at sea in HMS Duncan where he would
have seen action in the Adriatic Sea in the second half of 1915 and first half
of 1916. HMS Duncan then transferred to the
Aegean Sea based at Salonika taking part in operations against Greek royalists who opposed entering the war on
the side of the Allies. In February 1917
HMS Duncan returned to Sheerness and Grandad was based on shore until he was
demobilised in February 1919. Grandad continued to serve in the RNVR until
1933; he was awarded RNVR
long service and good conduct medal and was invited to the Jubilee review of
the RNVR by the Queen.
George Wouldhave Crowther (1892-1915) Service number
C382
George was Grandad’s brother; he was two years younger
than Grandad. He was living
at 8 Dee St, Jarrow in 1914, working at Palmers as a driller, when he attested
with Kings Royal Rifle Corps in September. He served for 33 days before being
discharged as not formally approved. This was almost certainly because he was
ill and he died on 25th November 1914 of Lobar Pneumonia; the informant was
William Robson Wouldhave, his uncle. He was buried in Jarrow Cemetery aged 23
on 28th Nov 1915.
Joseph Frederick Crowther (1896-1918) Service number
39998
Joseph
was the son of James Francis Crowther (Grandad’s uncle) and Georgina Wouldhave
(Grandad’s aunt). So he was a cousin to
Grandad through both parents. Joseph was only seven years old when his father
died. Georgina married John Chambers in 1905. The family were living in Queens Road Jarrow
in the 1911 census; Joseph is described as an apprentice plumber.
Joseph
attested in December 1915. His conduct
sheet has a number of offences recorded including twice being absent and apprehended
by the civil police; he served 28 days of detention for each offence. Joseph served
with B company 20th battalion of the Durham Light Infantry and he was
killed in action on 23rd March 1918 aged 22 years. He is buried in Vaulx
Hill Cemetery at Pas de Calais, France.
The inscription on his headstone reads “Free from sorrow, free from
pain, safe in God’s keeping until we meet again,” which was chosen by his brother
George Francis Crowther.
Charles Crowther (1895-1961) Service number 30961
Charles was Grandad’s cousin. His parents were Joseph Crowther and Mary Ann
(nee Davies). He was born in Liverpool,
the youngest of six children. The family were living at 10 River Avon Street in
the 1911 census. Charles was an office
boy working at a General Merchants.
Charles enlisted on 4th August 1915. He joined the Manchester Regiment,
Infantry. He was posted to India in
February 1916 and appointed as a Corporal a month later. He saw service in Allahabad and in July 1917
he was hospitalised for seven days with colitis. He was promoted to sergeant in
March 1918 and posted to Singapore in August 2018; he spent seven days in
hospital suffering from influenza that same month.
Charles stayed in service in Singapore for another 18
months, finally embarking for home in 1920.
While he was in the regiment his father became ill and his mother sent a
heartfelt letter to his commander asking if there was any possibility of his
coming home since his father wondered if he would ever see his son again.
Fortunately Charles did return before his father’s death in 1921.
 |
| Letter from Mary Ann Crowther regarding her son returning home |
Charles married Eva Eleanor Neale in Birkenhead in 1923
and was living in Fallowfield Rd, Liverpool in the 1939 register; his
occupation was gas meter inspector and collector. He died aged 66 in 1961 in Denbyshire.
William Henry Slaughter (1895-1973) Service number 680
and 767305 and 22/762
William was Grandma’s younger brother. He was born in 1895 and was a pupil at St
Oswald’s School in Hebburn. In the 1911
census he was working in a coal mine. When he attested to the Territorial force
in 1913 he was working for the Wallsend and Jarrow Mining Company. William
served with the Royal Field Artillery, Durham Battery and was deployed in
France after war broke out. In 1915 he suffered gunshot wounds to his head and
neck but survived following hospital treatment. In March 1916 he was appointed Acting Bombardier
and promoted to Corporal in July 2017. He married Elizabeth McGibbon in March
1918 at St John’s, Hebburn when he was on furlough for a month from 22nd
February, before returning to France. Following the war William continued to serve
in the Territorials as a Gunner with the Royal Regiment of Artillery until
1930. In the 1939 register he was living at Mons Ave, Hebburn working as a
Fitter’s Labourer in the shipyards. He died in 1973 aged 77 years and Elizabeth,
his wife, died in 1976 aged 82 years.
McAndrew
William Burridge (1889-1972) Service number 104627
William was Grandma’s cousin, the eldest son of Mark
Burridge and Elizabeth Ann (nee Wilkinson).
William was born in 1889 and the family were living in Pelton in the
1911 census, four of the sons were working in the Durham coal mines, including
William and his brother Edward whose information is given in the section below.
Mark tragically took his own life in
1915. He was found drowned in the Colliery reservoir. He had not worked for the past 14 years
having suffered from mental disease. He
had been missing since 18th October and was found dead 27th November 1915.
William enlisted with the Durham Light Infantry in December
1915 but was placed on the reserve list, no doubt because the country needed
coal miners. He was mobilised in June
1918 to France and returned home in November 1918. In the 1939 register he was
living at the family home, 6 Eden Place, Beamish, with his mother, sister and
niece. William died in 1972 aged 82
years.
George Edward Burridge (1895-1977) Service number
301067
George Edward seems to have been known as Edward. He was Grandma’s cousin, the sixth child of
Mark Burridge and Elizabeth Ann (nee Wilkinson); he was born in 1895.
Edward enlisted in July 1915 and joined the Durham Light
Infantry. He was posted to France in
March 1916. He was listed as a prisoner of War in May 1918 and was not
repatriated until the end of December 1918. An estimated 192,000 British and
Commonwealth servicemen were taken captive during the First World War; there is
no comprehensive list covering these PoWs. The International Committee of the
Red Cross does have some information regarding poWs. Edward was noted as being taken prisoner at
Craone in France.
Edward returned to mining when he got home and he married
Florence Isabel Richardson in autumn 1919. They had six children. In the 1939 register they are living at 64
‘D’ Street West, Chester Le Street.
Edward died in 1977 aged 81 and Florence died in 1981aged 80.
John Alfred Burridge (1891-) Service number 202260
 |
| Form from John Alfred Burridge acknowledging the receipt of his war medals |
John Alfred, Grandma’s cousin, was the first son of
Thomas (Tom) Burridge and Emma (nee Owers).
In the 1911 census they are living at Slaidburn Road, Stanley. Although Tom was a coal miner neither of his
sons became miners. John was an assistant teacher; his brother Frederick’s
information is given in the section below.
John attested in February 1915. He was initially assigned to the Army Service
Corps and appointed Corporal in September 1917. In December 1917 he was
re-assigned to the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own). He was wounded in action in April 1918 in
France; he suffered a gunshot wound to his right thigh. After spending time in a military hospital he
was granted leave from 26th June 1918 until 5th
July. In this time he married Hilda
Muriel Nicholson who was an assistant school mistress in South Moor. John was
discharged in February 1919.
In the 1939 register he is living at Pelaw Ave, Stanley
with his wife and his daughter Jean (born July 1924). At the time he is an Assistant School
Master. John died in 1966, aged 75, and
Hilda died in 1967 aged 78.
Frederick George Burridge (1892-1970) Service number
2322
Frederick was John Alfred’s brother, also Grandma’s
cousin, and the second son of Tom Burridge and Emma (nee Owers). In the 1911
census he was an apprentice grocer.
Frederick attested in June 1915 with the 3rd
line 2nd Northumbrian Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
Before he was posted to France in December 1917, he married Nellie Nesbit in
early 1916 and they had a daughter, Doris, in October that year. Frederick was in France until he was demobilised
in April 1919. In the 1939 register he
is a shop assistant in a grocers living in The Ridgeway, South Shields. He was also an ARP warden at a First Aid post
in the Second World War. He died in 1970 aged 77 years and Nellie died in 1980
aged 87 years.
The Imperial War Museum Lives of the First World War
On this website everyone is encouraged to ‘remember’, to add
details, including photos and stories, to create a memorial for ancestors who
are named on this website. We have ‘remembered’ all of the relatives we can
find and we would encourage you to look at the website, remember our relatives
and add any further information if you have any.
